RE RAG RUG
Guest post by Kate Myerscough
Studio Brieditis and Evans’ celebrated project Re Rag Rug is making its way to Japan this autumn with an exhibition titled 'Handscape' at the Atelier Muji in Tokyo. The project began in August 2012 with the aim of creating 12 rag rugs in 12 months, using 12 different techniques.
Re rag rug explores our relationship with waste by experimenting with materials considered worthless, and transforming them into valuable objects. The results push the very limits of what we consider to be rag rugs – using crochet, knitting, cross-stitch and many other techniques. Re Rag Rug moves away from the aesthetics traditionally associated with these techniques, forming truly innovative and contemporary pieces of art.
Re Orient is one such rug. This piece was created using crochet from discarded t-shirts, its design influenced by oriental rugs and the traditional crochet granny square. This updated aesthetic combines the crochet’s seemingly ‘low status’ art form with oriental rugs’ reputation for high value.
Another take on traditional techniques is the rug Off Pist, with a pared back white colour scheme. Off Pist is embroidered with t-shirt rags in the shape of huge knit stitches. As t-shirt material is itself a knitted material, the rug creates a wonderful instance of knitting mimicking itself through embroidery.
By creating rugs which would be innovative and desirable if they weren’t made from recycled materials, Re Rag Rug explores how an industry can (in part, at least) change what it consumes.
Handscape, 1 September – 29 October 2017
Atelier Muji, 100-0005Infos Yurakucho 1-3F, 3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 03-5208-8241